Fire engulfs camper, other vehicles

A fire in east Ames Wednesday sent black smoke into the sky that was visible for miles.

A fire in east Ames Wednesday sent black smoke into the sky that was visible for miles.

Three vehicles caught fire about 6:20 p.m. either in or near a salvage yard at 500 Freel Drive.

Richard Higgins, deputy chief of the Ames Fire Department, said the three vehicles — a camper, a bus converted into a camper and a mobile home — were being used as a residence by a man who was not identified.

Higgins said the man was asleep and was awakened by a popping sound. The man then saw smoke and ran outside, Higgins said.

No one was injured, and Higgins said the cause is unknown and under investigation. The camper’s exterior was partially melted, while the mobile home and bus were severely charred. It was not immediately clear if the vehicles were on the site of Bell Salvage or on property nearby.

Higgins had no estimate of the damage to the vehicles or their contents.